1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel tape cartridge and a recording/reproducing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a so-called compatible recording/reproducing apparatus capable of using tape cartridges of different sizes, and tape cartridges to be used by the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been proposed a so-called compatible recording/reproducing apparatus capable of using tape cartridges of different sizes. However, this known compatible recording/reproducing apparatus has disadvantages that the lid operating mechanism thereof for opening the lid of a tape cartridge inserted therein is unsatisfactory, the lid operating member of the lid operating mechanism is disposed so close to the recording tape of the tape cartridge inserted therein that the recording tape of the tape cartridge inserted therein is liable to be damaged by the lid opening member, the tape cartridge needs to be provided internally with a guide in a high accuracy, and a large space formed therein to receive a large-sized tape cartridge provides a useless space for receiving a small-sized tape cartridge, making the miniaturization of the recording/reproducing apparatus, because one specified side of the small-sized tape cartridge must be positioned at the same position as that at which the specified side of the large-sized tape cartridge is positioned.
FIG. 26 shows a large-sized tape cartridge a and a small-sized tape cartridge h hypothetically superposed in the known compatible recording/reproducing apparatus.
The large-sized tape cartridge a has a case b provided with tape outlets c formed at the opposite ends, respectively, of the front side thereof, and a mouth d formed in the front portion of the case b between the tape outlets c and opening forward and downward. When the large-sized tape cartridge a is inserted in the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus, the tape loading members of the recording/reproducing apparatus are received in the mouth d. A pair of tape reels e are supported for rotation within the case b, and a magnetic tape f of a predetermined length having opposite ends attached to the pair of tape reels e is held on the pair of tape reels e. A portion of the magnetic tape f extends outside the case b between the tape outlets c.
The small-sized tape cartridge h has a case i provided with tape outlets j formed at the opposite ends, respectively, of the front side thereof, and a mouth k formed in the front portion of the case i between the tape outlets j and opening forward and downward. When the small-sized tape cartridge h is inserted in the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus, the tape loading members of the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus are received in the mouth k. A pair of tape reels 1 are supported for rotation within the case i, and a magnetic tape m of a predetermined length having opposite ends attached to the pair of tape reels 1 is held on the pair of tape reels 1. A portion of the magnetic tape m extends outside the case i between the tape outlets j.
The respective sizes of the mouths d and k of the tape cartridges a and h are the same and the respective positions of the mouths d and k in the recording/reproducing apparatus coincide with each other when the tape cartridges a and h are inserted in the recording/reproducing apparatus as shown in FIG. 26.
Indicated at o in FIG. 26 are guiding areas in the large-sized tape cartridge a, namely, areas in which the magnetic tape f will not touch any part of the case b while the magnetic tape f is unwound from the start of feeding the magnetic tape f from the fully loaded reel g to the end of feeding the magnetic tape f from the same reel g. The tape guides of the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus may be disposed within these guiding areas o. Indicated at p are guiding areas in the small-sized tape cartridge h.
Areas in the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus corresponding to portions of the guiding areas o and p overlapping each other are common guiding areas for both the large-sized tape cartridge a and the small-sized tape cartridge h. Indicated at q are tape path areas in the large-sized tape cartridge a and at r are tape path areas in the small-sized tape cartridge h. The lids s and t of the tape cartridges a and h must not be located in the tape path areas q and r when opened. A recording/reproducing apparatus designed specially for the tape cartridge a or h may be provided with a lid opening member u or v. However, the lid opening lever v of the small-sized tape cartridge h interferes with the tape path area q of the large-sized tape cartridge a in the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus. Therefore, the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus cannot be provided with the lid opening member v.
Thus, it is difficult to provide the compatible recording/reproducing apparatus with a single lid opening lever capable of opening the respective lids of both the large-sized tape cartridge a and the small-sized tape cartridge h.